What a President Should Know.....

......but most learn too late.

I loved this book, I'm not really sure why. I think it's because he talks to the reader like he/she is the President--yep, that's why I like it. Here are my two favorite pieces of advice from this book;

"There is no time like the present to start reinforcing the people who bring you the bad news and not just the ones who bring you the good news. [You can get the bad news in a discreet setting or in a public setting.] The person telling you the bad news to your face is to be cherished and cultivated, he or she is doing you a huge favor."

I don't have an exact quote for the second one, but he strongly advised anyone against serving a second term. He makes a good case against it. He went through all the presidents who served second terms. Mostly second terms are spent on the defensive--nothing good much happens. The media gets nit picky (in my own words--the media gets bored you and is looking for anything to make a story out of) and many second terms are spent in scandal of some kind. He says most presidents spend their whole first term making decisions based on getting re-elected, but by the time they get to that second term, they have lost their individuality--they have become the 'administration'--and the ferver/energy that got them elected in the first place is gone. He's says it's better to serve one term, do one really great thing for America, and leave on top before the responsibilities of the office drag you down.

There are other interesting points discussed in this book but I will write about them another time. He discusses the complexities of health care, education, taxes and, yes, war. He also talks about the logistics of trying to keep tabs on all the committees, cabinets and staff that work for the White House. It was interesting to learn how much the government has grown in 100 years.
100 years ago, one small victorian building held most of the different departments--including the Department of Defense which is now housed in the massive pentagon. The CIA has been created since then and has the whole Langley, Virginia complex. The old victorian building now holds only a fraction of one department. And one president is supposed to be able to oversee all of these people. Talk about feeling small and overwhelmed.